Oyster-opener.



I. B PAYNE.

OYSTER OPENER.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 10. 1915.

1, 173,023. Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

JPqz I/ize JOHN B. PAYNE, 03? DENVER, COLORADO.

OYSTER-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Application filed February 10, 1915. Serial No. 7,403.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN B. PAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oyster-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oyster openers, the object in view being to produce a simple machine for opening or shucking oysters which is capable of being operated by any person, dispensing with the services of an expert oyster shucker and avoiding all danger of injury to the hands of the operator.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 is a front elevation of an oyster opener embodying the iresent invention. Fig. 2- is a vertical cross section through the same taken in line with the shaft. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the opening and spreading blades showing also portions of the hand levers.

Referring to the drawings A generally do 'gnates a stand which may be of any desired construction, said stand embodying a substantially horizontal stationary arm 1.

2 and 3 designate oyster clamping jaws, the jaw 2 being mounted upon a support 2 having a base -1- which is adjustable along the arm 1 by means of a set screw 5. The jaw 2 is held stationary but is also rendered adjustable along the arm 1 by the means described. The jaw 3 is movable toward and away from the jaw 2, being carried by a runner 6 which is slidable along the arm 1, said runner embracing the arm 1 and extending below the same where it is provided with a rack bar 7 parallel to said arm. Meshing with the rack bar 7 is a pinion 8 on one end of a manually controlled shaft 9 provided at its other end with a hand wheel 10. Above the rack bar? is a bearing wheel 11 provided with oppositely arranged flanges 12 which embrace the rack bar 7 and serve to steady the movements thereof and support the same in proper relation to and mesh with the pinion 8.

The jaw 3 is yieldable relatively to the runner 6 by the means illustrated in Fig. 1

wherein it will be seen that the movable jaw V 3 has extending rearwardly therefrom guide rods 13 and 14 the same being slidable through guide openings in an upward extension 15 on the runner 6. A coiled expansion backing spring 16 surrounds one of said rods and serves to press the movable jaw 3 toward the fixed jaw 2 so as to effectively clamp an oyster or a clam between the jaws where it is held during the opening operation, it being understood that the jaw 3 is moved toward the jaw 2 by turning the hand wheel 10, and is also adapted to yield as the shell is forced open.

The means for opening the oyster comprises a hand lever 17 which is pivotally mounted at 18 to an L-shaped post 19 which has a pivotal connection at 20 with the arm 1. The lever 17 carries an opening or spreading jaw 21 and adjacent to the jaw 21 is another opening or spreading jaw 22 which is attached to an auxiliary hand or spreading lever 23 pivotally connected at 2-l to the lever 17.

The jaw 2 is pivotally mounted on the support 2 and has connected thereto a hand lever 25 by means of which the jaw 2 may be inverted to drop the shell after the same has been opened. The jaw 2 is provided with a cup-shaped extension or pocket adjacent to its lower end in which the shell is placed preparatory to the opening operation. When the jaw 2 is inverted by means of the hand lever 25, the shell drops from the n1achine.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will now be understood that by means of the wheel 10, the jaw 3 is moved toward the jaw 2 until an oyster, clam or the like is held between both jaws. The lever 17 is then moved into engagement with the oyster or clam until the blades 21 and 22 enter between the opposite portions of the shell. As soon as this is done the spread ng lever 28 is moved so as to cause the blade 22 to move away from the blade 21 thereby prying open the shell. The jaw 3 is then moved away from the jaw 2 by manipulating the hand lever 10. The jaw 2 is then inverted with the aid of the hand lever 2%, allowing the oyster shell to drop f om the machine.

The device as a whole is simple in construction. practical in operation and safe in the hands of a novice who is enabled thereby Patented Feb. 22, 1 916.

to open oysters and the like with the same rapidity and facility as an expert with the ordinary hand shucking knife.

What I claim is 1. In a device of theclass specified, the combination of a stand, a substantially horizontal arm having a fixed relation thereto and projecting therefrom, a pair of clamping jaws mounted on saidarm, one of said jaws being stationary, a runner slidable lengthwise of said arm and having the other jaw attached thereto, means-for sliding said runner and the jaw carried thereby, a post extending upward from said arm, a hand lever having a pivotal mounting on said post, an opening blade carried by said lever, a spreading hand lever pivotally attached to and carried by the first named hand lever, and a second blade on the spreading lever.

2. In a device of the class specified, the combination of a stand. a substantially horizontal arm having a fixed relation thereto and projecting therefrom, a pair of clamping jaws mounted on said arm, one of said jaws being stationary, a runner slidable lengthwise of said arm and having the other jaw attached thereto, means for sliding said runner and the jaw carried thereby, a post extending upward from said arm and having a pivotal connection with said arm, a hand lever having a pivotal mounting on said post, an opening blade carried by said lever, aspreading hand lever pivotally attached to and carried by the first named hand lever, a second blade on the spreading lever, and a backing spring arranged behind the movable jaw to permit the latter to yield as the shell is forced open.

3. In a device of the class specified, the combination of an oyster support, a pivotally mounted hand lever, an oyster opening blade carried by and having a fixed relation to said lover, a spreading hand lever piv0tally attached to and carried by the first named lever, and a second blade having a fixed relation to said spreading lever, the spreading lever being arranged to swing in a plane parallel to the first named lever.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. PAYNE.

Witnesses:

JAMES D. RICHARDSON, EDWARD FOUNTAIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

